Abstract
The etching process of polycrystalline zirconium by acid was investigated by means of an electron microscope, using the replica method. Mainly, aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid and, complementarily. Gulbrausen reagent and concentrated sulfuric acid were used as etching reagents. Etch pits with density of lO/sup 9//cm/sup 2/ appeared at first on a zirconium surface attacked by aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid. With increasing etching duration, they were transformed into semispherical small depressions, which were developed inwards and finally fused with each other. Thus. the etched surface was ultimately composed by coalescence of these developed depressions. It was concluded that the pits do uot always correspond to dislocations. The etching process by Gulbransen reagent and by concentrated sulfuric acid was almost the same as that by aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid. (auth)
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